Official FMS 1400mm P-51D V8 Thread

[The Don]

I took one out and got it to work! Here is what the issue was.There is zero lubricant in the retract mechanism. The slider that follows in the machined grooves/track was stuck in the track and would not move. I loosened the screws on one side of the retract and it started to move. So I then lubricated it with some Krytox and now it works great. It is all back in the wing. One down one more to go!

[The Don]

Both work just fine now. I am happy!

[xviper]

It's odd that both would be "stuck" like that.

[The Don]

The second one I took apart a little further. It almost seemed like the threaded rod pressed to the motor shaft did not want to spin. I used my finger to rotate it a little and then it suddenly unfroze and that fixed it. Maybe that was the real issue on the first one I did?? The threaded rod was pressed very close to the front of the motor bushing. Almost no clearance. I added some Krytox to it to make sure it was oiled up when moving. This whole thing has been strange but I am happy now. Ran them both together at least 6 times with the sequencer to make sure all was OK.

[Grossman56]

Great you got it figured out Don, welcome to the forum btw, good to have you, especially now that you're on a positive note.

Good luck with the plane!

Grossman56

[wrongroad]

G'day Don,
Just to add a little something here, get into the habit of running the gear through a couple of cycles during your pre flight checks.
There is one type of sequencer, the blue heat shrink wrapped one, that seems to get lost during the program and needs a re boot to get into sequence.
It is somewhat off putting when you hit the gear switch as you get ready to land and the gear doors open, pause and then close without the wheels coming down. What happens then is the pilot [read, me] frantically flips the switch up and down trying to get the gear to come down.:p:p
The the pilot wakes up and calmly pulls the switch and hey presto, the gear finally comes down.
There does not seem to be a problem with the older sequencers [I am talking about the six second units here] and I have several of these as spares, or the newer ones. Just the blue wrapped ones.
You will find the Mustang a nice aircraft to fly.
Regards and respect
Daryl

[AkumaZeto]

I must say I am disjointed myself in the retracts. Wishing there was a REAL metal Trunion. I just installed my replacements retracts and one folded on a soft landing. Trunion jumped the slider on the jack screw because the metal just rounded off. Here is hoping MRC picks up the entire Small parts cnc trunion order!

[Grossman56]

I installed the Smallparts CNC trunions, they're great!!

Grossman56

[AkumaZeto]

Those are the side plates. The trunions are the actual fork that slides on the jack drive. I seem to not have a side plate issue. Just the soft metal trunion. I have had these basic same retracts units in my corsair for ages and never a issue. Hell I dont even bend my Dynam Hellcat units on landing.0_o But this plane is something else. I love the way it flies but I cant afford 60 bucks every other time I fly. I did mention to Tom last week about Small parts looking to due a run of billet I assume trunions. The jack screw could be sourced elsewhere Mc master car or the like.

The thing is the plane is aces. It really is. I think if people knew they might have really solid retracts they would spend a 100 bucks more. But it needs to be something designed by a hobbyist or 3rd part and licensed out or something. Rc car world LONG has had had these services and I dabble in 5th scale too. So I am looking or shopping for a company that could build them cnc or otherwise. Poured cast is not gonna cut it.

[Grossman56]

Oh that's right!
I have one gear that more sloppy on BBD than the other, it would be nice to have rock solid L/G, let us know what you source out.

Grossman56

[wrongroad]

G'day gang,
After a frustrating month of bad weather it looks as though I will get to do some serious teasing of the gravity Gods in the morning.
Shangri La will be the weapon of choice and I am ready to fly the paint off her.
Is it just me or do we all suffer from perfect weather when we can not fly [work etc] and lousy weather on the days that we can fly. Oh to be retired and still have plenty of money.:p
I have just had a taste of what many of you around the world get in winter. This no flying lark is terrible. You get the shakes, mumble in your sleep, kick the neighbours cat and get seriously dejected.
Only one problem remains.
It is only four degrees C outside right now and looking at minus two in town in the morning and that means minus five or six at the field.
Last time I flew when it was this cold, and it was Shangri La as well, the canopy misted over coming out of a warm car to minus five.The first flight of the day was a ripper and when I taxied back after landing, the canopy and wings actually had ice on them.
Still a nice sunny day of eighteen degrees is the final forecast.
Bring on the morn......dribble, dribble, drool, mumble

Regards and respect
Daryl

[farmflyer]

I know we are in opposite seasons but it is still hard to imagine your that cold and we are in the upper 90's and 100's every day here.

[Dewey H Lee]

Yes I'd take your weather in a minute right now. All week 93-99 and working in the sun in areas where the wind could not get to. I can dress to stay warm but even buck naked you can't stay cool.

[Grossman56]

Yes, but remember the -22 degrees F here in the winter. Doesn't matter what it translates to in Centigrade, its freakin' cold!!!

Grossman56

[xviper]

Yes, but remember the -22 degrees F here in the winter. Doesn't matter what it translates to in Centigrade, its freakin' cold!!!

Grossman56

That would be -30C. I easily tolerate down to -18C, but anything colder than that, I bring in the brass monkey. -30C is really hard to bear. The few -38C nights is torture but we somehow manage to conduct our daily business in it. I can't even imagine what those guys in the Antarctic research stations must endure at -70C. That's colder than some of the "ultra-freezers" used in medical research facilities.
For flying in winter, my limit a about -2C and calm winds. I'll fly in heat but I won't fly in cold.

[wrongroad]

G'day gang,
I can report that it was a good day for flying and I put five more flights into the log book of Shangri La.
The top temp of the day was 11.5*C with an apparent temp of 9*C.
With a total overcast and an ever so light westerly breeze that was coming straight off snow fall seventy kilometres to the west the actual flying conditions were great.....except it was all so cold on the flight line.
Have to go folks....baby boy needs attention!!!!
Regards and respect
Daryl

[Grossman56]

I found it interesting that 40 below is 40 below whether in Fahrenheit or Celsius . Enough to freeze those brass balls. I haven't experienced that yet (touch wood) and have no desire to. When I was driving to work at minus 22, I thought to myself, how the heck can it possibly get colder!!

Grossman56

[wrongroad]

G'day gang,
My boy is in bed now so now I have just a few minutes before he will want something from Dad. I love it.
Sunday was indeed cold but the flying was great and even after not flying for a month, I surprised myself with some nice landings that all hit the same spot to within a metre and some low passes with the aircraft less than a wing off the grass. That I had not done before. My usual low passes were about waist high. Getting down below knee height was something I left to those who wished to dare. Funny enough, I did not even give a second thought until after I landed.
Shangri La has 117 flights in her log book and with the exception of the 580kv motor that was installed before the maiden flight, she is completely stock out of the box.
I have replaced or repaired nothing on this model so I will be interested to see just how far the machinery goes before something needs fixing.
I did read somewhere, and if I ever find it again I will post it here, that the average life span of a model airplane is thirty flights and most of the early ARF manufacturers only made them to last that long. After that things started to break and fall off and simply become unserviceable very quickly.
Perhaps it is because we, collectively, have become better pilots and that the models have become easier to fly.
Add to this the advent of computer radios and flight simulators, teaching pilots has become so much easier and the buddy box system must have saved thousands of models world wide by now.
This list of teaching aids is long and have we got some damn fine aircraft to fly as well.
May I also add the willingness of my fellow HS pilots to pass on good solid information to others is also a great thing. Give yourselves a pat on the back gang. You all deserve it.
Regards and respect
Daryl

[Dewey H Lee]

Hey guys I've noticed that the FMS Snoots Sniper is on sale at motion but there are no reviews for this plane. I was just wondering if anyone can give me a rundown on it. Or should one expect the same for it as the others. I want a B model but DD is out of stock and this one has all the version 8 UPGRADES. Just really not partial to the color. But that is a really good price. Guess it could get some paint.

[AkumaZeto]

I think the fastbacks are all 7.5. I dont think they are full v8 but I could be wrong.